


Where the Moss Slowly Grows

by Pink Evil Gnome (Winniwyn)



Category: Red vs Blue
Genre: Gen, Season 13 spoilers, aftermath of season 13
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-27
Updated: 2015-09-27
Packaged: 2018-04-23 15:05:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4881412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Winniwyn/pseuds/Pink%20Evil%20Gnome
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wash knew that there was going to be a lot of denial over Epsilon. After all, how many times had Church died and still came back? He knew that a member of Blue Team was going to take a long time to get used to the idea of Church being gone.</p><p>He just didn't think that it was going to be Tucker.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Where the Moss Slowly Grows

Wash knew that there was going to be a lot of denial over Epsilon. After all, how many times had Church died and still came back? He knew that a member of Blue Team was going to take a long time to get used to the idea of Church being gone.

He just didn't think that it was going to be Tucker.

Part of Washington expected Caboose to sit at windows patiently waiting like a lost puppy for Church to come back. Or at least to fall back into that pit of depression from the crash site. Instead, when they told Caboose in small words that Epsilon was gone--for good this time, he just nodded, said a sad 'okay' and went off to play with Freckles. Later Wash had over heard Caboose whispering to Freckles and F.I.L.S.S. stories of Church, both of Alpha and Epsilon. There had been the occasional sniffle to the stories but each time Caboose would quickly recover and continue on to the next. He would only use the past tense when speaking of Church now. They didn't even have to show him the episode of Sesame Street where Mr. Hooper died (Simmons had spent hours trying to find it).

Instead, it was Tucker who kept accidentally calling the new AIs Church and then bristle at them when he realized that they were not him. Tucker was the one continually wondering when Epsilon was coming back. The worst were the sarcastic comments Tucker would make whenever he heard someone talk about him like he was gone. It especially weirded out the cadets to hear Tucker calling his recently deceased friend an asshole day in and day out. But the final straw had been when Carolina caught him talking to Sarge about making Church a new robot body. 

"You need to talk to him," Carolina pointed out over the mush the cafeteria called breakfast.

Wash snorted nearly choking on his oatmeal. "You don't think I've tried? He doesn't listen to me."

"Then make him listen." There was something almost threatening about the way she said that. "This is getting old." She sighed and suddenly he could see how tired she was. Thinking back on all the years he'd known Carolina, he couldn't remember her ever looking as vulnerable as she did in that instant. It felt wrong to see her like that. "I can't take any more false hope. Wash, you are the only one Tucker will listen to. He respects you. It's just not healthy. For any of us."

Wash looked away unable to meet her gaze. Afraid to see that expression on her face again. "Fine, I'll give it another try, but don't expect any miracles." He threw away his oatmeal and left. He wasn't that hungry anyways.

***

Maybe it was procrastination. Maybe it was legitimate advice seeking, but Washington certainly learned one thing when asking the reds and the blues what to do about Tucker.

 

He started with Sarge. 

"Shotgun!" To be fair Sarge might have misheard the question, but Wash was afraid to find out if he hadn't.

 

Next he found Grif and Simmons. 

"Gee, I don't know, Wash, why don't you build a replica of his old helmet--" Sarcasm dripped from Grif's voice.

"I tried." Wash stared at the ground. 

“And give it to him--” 

"It didn't work."

“And make a sappy speech about how sorry you are?”

“He slammed the door in my face.”

"Your really are an idiot."

Wash ignored him. "You got any ideas, Simmons?"

"What? Me? I don't know. You didn't give me time to prepare for this!" Simmons said accusingly.

"Fine, I'll go ask Doc."

 

Asking Doc was also a bad idea. "I recommend a good long therapy session with plenty of soul bearing--or you could just shoot all the stupid out of him! Muhahahaha... until he's dead."

 

Sometimes, there was more to Caboose that what it seemed at first glance. He could at times say something surprisingly insightful. Sometimes.

"Maybe he should play with Freckles! That helps me." Caboose smiled brightly at this like he had just solved world hunger.

Wash rubbed the back of his head. "Ah, yeah, a thoughtful gesture, but maybe not for Tucker.”

"Oh, how sad," F.I.L.S.S. said. "That sounded like a wonderful idea."

"You would think that," Freckles growled.

Wash snuck out while Caboose attempted to stop the programs' thirty seventh and a half fight.

 

Wash didn't even bother asking Lopez.

 

That only left Donut. "Maybe you should try using some baby oil the next time you're with Tucker."

Wash stared at him perplexed. "How will that help with Tucker's denial?"

"Ooooooh, I thought you finally wanted to bring your relationship to the next level." There was something about Donut's wholesome face that made it even worse.

"WHAT?!"

 

He’d learned everyone from Blood Gulch was an idiot.

***

Wash was on his own for this one. He stared at Tucker's door for minutes not knowing what to say but not having the nerve to leave. His fist hovered an inch from the door.

The door opened before he had the chance to knock.

"Wash?" Tucker stared at him perplexed. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh. Um, I was just wondering if you..." Wash began to panic for a brief moment. What did he want to do? Talk? Tucker was usually the one that came to him to talk, if he asked he was sure Tucker would get suspicious or defensive. And outside of training he and Tucker had never really--wait, that was it! "uh, if you wanted to do some training exercises? For old times sake?"

"Ugh, what is it with you and training?" Tucker sounded exasperated but then he shrugged and let out a sigh. "But, it has been a while and well, I guess I got nothing better to do."

There was a chance of this working. At least Wash hoped it would. That maybe if Tucker was exhausted from the training he would be too tired to keep up the stubborn denial. It went well at first. Tucker was actually keeping up with him. It used to be that Wash could easily run circles around him. A reminder of how much things had changed. Wash even made a comment about it.

"Holy shit Wash," Tucker stopped to catch his breath and stared wide-eyed at him. "Was that an actual fucking compliment? Ha! wait til Church finds out. That asshole is never gonna believe--"

"Tucker," That was it, the last straw. It had crossed over to pathetic long before and Wash just couldn't stand it anymore. "You have to stop doing this."

Tucker looked like he was about to start jogging again but when Wash interrupted him he turned and stopped. "What?" His tone genuinely sounded innocent but he still glared at Wash. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Tucker please, this is just sad. You know he's gone."

"Well, yeah, he's Church that's what he does. He dies and comes back."

Wash shook his head. How could anyone be so stubborn? "Not this time, Tucker. I know he's your best friend, but he's not coming back."

Tucker scoffed. "Jesus fucking Christ Wash, are you always this much of a buzzkill? Church has been my best friend for years, I know what I'm talking about, you'll see." There was almost no doubt in his voice. His tone was on the verge of sounding smug.

"No. I won't." Wash shook his head sadly. He could be every bit as bullheaded as Tucker when he needed to be. "Listen to me, when an AI fragments like that they can't go back to what they were before the break. I'm sorry but he’s gone. For good this time."

"He, Church--Epsilon Church." The strain on Tucker's face to call the AI Epsilon looked downright painful. "He became Church again. He can still come back."

Wash tried to put his hand on Tucker's shoulder but the teal soldier shook him off. "Tucker, you have to listen to me--”

“No I don’t!” Tucker shoved Wash, pushing him back. Any of the few nearby cadets took this opportunity to discreetly leave the training facility. “I am so sick of this fucking bullshit! Why is everyone getting on my goddamned case about this?”

“Because they’re worried about you!”

“Well they don’t have to be!” Even through his dark complexion Tucker was beginning to turn red. “I would be just fine and fucking dandy if everyone would just leave me the fuck alone.”

“Tucker, even if you think you’re fine now, how long is that going to last? How far down the road is your denial going to get you? A year? Five years? You think you’ll be fine then?”

Tucker didn’t say anything. He wouldn’t even look Wash in the eye. Instead he just stood there, shrugging helplessly like he didn’t know what else he could say. 

"Look, it sucks," Wash said. He only had half an idea of how much. He had lost so many friends due to project freelancer, but he never had the hope of regaining them dangling right in front of his face. Maybe if it had, Wash would be living in denial too. But his friends had bodies to leave behind. Bodies to mourn over--or not. Epsilon was another story, all he’d left behind were memories and fragments. "I'm not saying that it’s going to be easy to accept that he’s gone. Especially with his history. But it's different this time."

"Hey, even when you killed Church he still came back."

“Tucker, it wasn’t Alpha that came back. He was different, you know he was. You guys made Epsilon more than just a fragment. More than just an A.I.. You made him human. And well, that's the thing, humans die."

Tucker just glared at him, his hands balling into fists. Wash tried to prepare himself for the punch to the face he knew was coming. That he deserved. Then Tucker paused, his eyes widened, and he collapsed sobbing.

"I'm sorry Tucker," Wash said kneeling down next to him, silently cursing himself. Why did he have to be the one to do this? Watching his friend bawl and gasp for air on the floor of the training facility was just about the last thing Wash ever wanted to see. 

Tucker pressed the heels of his palms into his forehead. "It's not fair."

"I know." It was all Wash could think of to say. But, the truth was he knew nothing. He didn't even know what to do for Tucker. "I know," he repeated. Maybe if he said it often enough he would.

Back when they first landed on Chorus, before they got caught up in the war, Agent Washington had told Tucker that he would break him. But he never meant it to be like this.

**Author's Note:**

> This is a collaborative fic between myself and my friend/sister in-law ( http://pinkevilbobdoesthings.tumblr.com/ ). She doesn't have an Ao3 account but we decided to just post it anyways. 
> 
> The title is inspired by this song from Tiger Army: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxvTTRKvfEU
> 
> Comments and criticism are always welcome!


End file.
